1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a line switch for electrical cable and, more particularly, to a line switch of a novel clamshell-type construction which is particularly suitable for ready installation anywhere along a twin-wire cable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Line switches for electrically connecting an electrical signal to a load, or for electrically disconnecting the signal from the load, are, of course, well-known devices. An electrical wire typically is routed through a housing of the line switch, and various electrical components within the housing are operative to make electrical contact with the wire therein. Although generally satisfactory for their intended purposes, the known line switches are possessed of certain disadvantages. For example, the known line switches for twin-wire cable are of multi-part construction, and the assembly and inventory of such multi-part switches by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are often a problem because of unbalanced stock of the various parts, particularly when line switches are needed in great quantity for a specific application. In addition, the assembly of such a multi-part line switch generally takes a relatively long period of time due, in large part, to the fact that the twin wire must be slit and separated in order to fit into a cover for the housing, and thereupon a screw nut, or a rivet, is needed in order to complete the overall switch assembly. Generally, these multi-part line switches are operated by turning a wheel and, if the wheel is turned in the wrong direction, then the internal switching parts can be damaged. Furthermore, the known line switches cannot accommodate wires of different sizes and, hence, different models of the switch are needed for different wire sizes, e.g. SPT-1 or SPT-2, making it necessary for the OEM to stock more than one switch size.